Why plastic ain’t so fantastic

Plastic is everywhere, and as much as we try to avoid it, every corner we turn, there it is again. And as convenient as it is to pop last nights leftovers into a plastic container ready for tomorrow’s lunch – it might be time to start considering your options because it’s doing whacky things to our fertility. Of course, you knew I was going to say that, but hear this; it isn’t limited to our fertility. Keep reading.

Bisphenol – A (BPA) is the culprit. It’s a contaminant widely used to make plastics amongst other things (like dental products and canned goods), which is having wild ramifications especially on women’s fertility. A Yale study showed that it was affecting the key developmental genes that form the uterus, meaning that women who were exposed to BPA during pregnancy had a higher chance of producing offspring with defect reproductive organs and lowered fertility. When you nut it down, this is a result of oestrogen like properties present in BPA. Too much of anything is never a good thing – too much oestrogen can be a bad mix in the fertility stakes. Oestrogen is essential for ovulation and you could be forgiven for thinking that more of it sounds promising. However, high levels of oestrogen will push ovulation out, creating an infertile menstrual cycle. It is important that there are enough days pre and post ovulation for your hormones to do their job. If ovulation is pushed later into the cycle, there simply isn’t enough time for progesterone to do it’s thing. Men aren’t exempt either. Too much estrogen will lead to poor sperm quality, including abnormalities and motility troubles.

But wait, there’s more. High levels of this pretend oestrogen can cause problems with hearing and have been linked to degenerative disorders like Alzheimers.

Whatever way you look at it, it’s time to switch or ditch. Here’s how:

1. Many plastics are now being made BPA free. Choose wisely and avoid cheep plastics that will leech these chemicals into you food. Quality products will cost a little more but when you weigh up the long term effects, it is a very small investment. This also extends to babies bottles.

2. Avoid heating food in plastic containers of any kind. I’m skeptical. Just don’t do it. Move the food to a plate or bowl before reheating.

3. Choose glass containers where possible. Better still – reuse glass jars and bottles. Check out what Lou from Table Tonic has been doing with hers here.

4. Many plastics (think take-away containers) are designed to be used once and ONLY once. Follow this rule.

5. Get yourself a stainless steel water bottle or BPA free plastic bottle and never, ever drink water out of a bottle that has been sitting in the sun.

These BPA’s in some cases can be the sole cause of fertility troubles in both men and women. It’s a simple change to make for greater gain.